Why are the Saudis Demolishing Ancient Islamic Sites to Construct a Mega Mosque?

In what is certain to be one of the most bizarre stories you will read this week, the UK’s Independent details how the religious authorities in Saudi Arabia are making a concerted effort to demolish ancient Islamic Holy Sites. While this may seem inexplicable at first, ultimately it may just come down to a power play by an oppressive religious regime not wanting any competition. The religious clerics would clearly rather their people worship them in all their grandeur than let’s say the actual people that founded the religion. Just seems like another attempt to cut people off from their history and culture, at which point they become easier to control.

The real inexplicable thing is; where is all the rage throughout the Muslim world about this?

"The Saudi royals who from the very beginning of their rule had lived lives of un-Islamic sexual decadence were disregarding many other Islamic laws, like the ban on the use of mind-altering substances as well. But still they demanded their non-rich subjects to live by the strict rules of Wahhabi Islam. These rules were and are still enforced through draconian punishments. While the Saudi royals are living the life-style of the western ultra-rich, they have been through all the years of their rule staunch supporters and facilitators of western imperial interests. At first those interests were British and later on they were American and Israeli."